A program of: The Menachem Institute
Machon Menachem Chabad of the Valley
The Finder & Schaeffer Family Centers
Farbrengen funded by a grant from
The Finder Family Educational Center

For more information please visit

CHABADOFTHEVALLEY.ORG or call 818.758.1818

d”ga, zun, ‘ u - iuhx c”f

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“A religious Jewish couple or family
earning $100,000 a year is equal to a
non-religious or non-Jewish family
earning $50,000 a year. “
Mia Adler Ozair, MA, LPCC, NCC

Minority Truths

12

So, although we may be staunch
democrats and believers in the
democratic process, clearly, there will
be times when the minority is right.
Rabbi Yossi Goldman

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20

S. Monica
Remembers

The 6th yahrtzeit of beloved Rabbi
Avrohom HaLevi Levitansky obm
was marked at an eventon Sunday Yud
Sivan with hundreds in attendance.

Courtesy of Collive.com

6

28
Cocktails With a
Touch of Class
Sangria, originating from Spain, is
one way to bring a little Mediterranean sunshine into your American
back yard this summer.

e are very spoiled here in Los Angeles. Within footsteps we have an abundance of kosher markets,
countless kosher restaurants oﬀering food for almost any
palate. You can choose which mikveh to visit with a handful
of choices in a matter of a few miles. Generally speaking, in
the United States a community is lucky if it has even
one Jewish day school. In Los Angeles we have tens
of schools ranging for every age and level of
observance. Not sure what synagogue
to attend? You can literally spend
months, Shabbat after Shabbat,
trying out new places every
week all within a matter
of blocks. In the U.S.A.,
other than possibly New
York, it doesn’t get better
than to be a Jew in Los Angeles—
and we even have better weather than
New York! So perhaps we could even
rank ﬁrst among all as the top place in the
United States to live as Jew. However, as
most of us know, and as I see in my private
practice over and over again, this luxury
of living such a full and expansive Jewish
life comes with one major complication:
the price tag.
Families who wish to live a Jewish life
and raise children in a Jewish context—
be it a Jewish school or Jewish camp—
must reach deep within their pockets to
make it happen. For many, this takes a
massive toll on the stability of marriage
and family and the ability of schools and camps to ﬁnancially
accommodate their communities. Among divorced couples,
ﬁnancial stresses and pressures rank among the top reasons

for ﬁghting and eventual break-up, and our Jewish community is not immune to this. While discussing this with one
of my clients currently going through divorce, he made an
astute comment. He said, “A religious (deﬁned by keeping
kosher, sending kids to Jewish schools and camps) Jewish
couple or family earning $100,000 a year is equal to a
non-religious or non-Jewish family earning $50,000
a year. The money simply doesn’t go far due
to the additional ﬁnancial burden aﬃliated with expenses for Jewish living.
It can be almost impossible to
make ends meet.”
This time of year is
particularly stressing for
Jewish families. At this time
many people are going through the
ﬁnancial aid process for the following
school year while also having to make arrangements to pay for summer activities. I see
an increase in arguments between spouses which always leads to an increase in
general dis-ease in the family’s home. But
these things are not new, and chances are
if you are reading this you may personally
be impacted by similar challenges. The
question becomes how do we as a community work to alleviate some of these ﬁnancial burdens? I’ve seen some amazing
work done by schools and camps in oﬀering ﬁnancial aid. I know the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles helps to support
Jewish schools and camps through various
programs making it easier on families. However, I recently
had another idea, and it involves truly seeing if people—
speciﬁcally our communities’ business establishments—are

“A religious Jewish
couple or family
earning $100,000
a year is equal to
a non-religious or
non-Jewish family
earning $50,000 a
year. “

8

May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

willing to step up to the plate. After
all, there are hundreds of thousands
of Jews supporting businesses up
and down Pico, Fairfax, LaBrea and
all of the other heavily Jewish neighborhoods. Perhaps one or more of
them would consider helping out if
they don’t already do so.
Here is what I propose: I’d like
to see every single kosher market,
Judaica store, kosher restaurant, and
other shops up and down our major Jewish streets where the Jewish
community supports commerce to
commit 3% of their gross earnings
towards the Jewish day school or
camp of their choosing as a donation to support the ﬁnancial assistance programs at those respective
places—without raising prices for
goods and services. I’d like to see our
consciousness here in L.A. be one
of understanding that raising Jewish children is indeed a community
aﬀair and that in order for families
to be able to do so with less ﬁnancial
stress our neighborhood establishments can step up and support us

“I’d like to see our
consciousness here
in L.A. be one of
understanding
that raising Jewish
children is indeed a
community aﬀair.”

lies.” If you are the owner of such
an eatery, shop, or market, I’d like to
know you are doing it so that I can
shout it from the mountain top and
let everyone know. If we are going
to be able to continue to raise Jewish families without being crushed
by the ﬁnancial demands of doing so
then we must, as a community as a
whole, support one another.
I look forward to receiving emails
from readers and business owners
letting me know about signs going up
in windows up and down Pico, Fairfax,
and the rest about the 3% solution of
helping one-another. Establishments
who prove they are doing so will be
recognized in future columns. We
do have the power as a community
to lessen the burden. My email is
mia@bhcounselingcenter.com and
your comments are always welcome.
Wishing you a successful end to the
school year and mazal tov on any
graduates in your families!
Mia Adler Ozair, MA, LPCC, NCC
is a licensed clinical psychotherapist and
educator with a private practice in Beverly
Hills, California. Mia is licensed in
both California and Illinois and she can
be reached through her website at www.
bhcounselingcenter.com or followed on
Twitter @MiaAdlerOzair.

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just as we support them as patrons.
I’d like to see a sign in the window
of each establishment that says, “We
donate 3% of your purchase to (ﬁll
in the blank) ﬁnancial aid program
to support our community’s fami-

May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

9

10

May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

11

Minority Truths
YOSSY GOLDMAN

I

n democracies as well as in Jewish Law, majority rules. A Beit
Din (court of Torah law) must always consist of an odd number
of judges, so that there should always be a majority opinion.
But the fact is, sometimes the majority gets it wrong.
The story in this week’s Torah reading, of the twelve spies sent
by Moses to the Promised Land, is a case in point.
Only two of the dozen, Joshua and Caleb, remained faithful to
their leader, to the purpose of their mission and to G-d’s assurance
that it was a good land. The other ten spies went awry.
The spies were sent on a reconnaissance mission to determine
how best to approach the coming conquest of the land of Canaan.
Instead of doing what they were sent to do, to suggest the best way
forward, ten of the twelve spies brought back a negative report that
was designed to intimidate the people and discourage them from
entering a ferocious “land that devours its inhabitants,” and which
signed oﬀ with the categorical conclusion that “we cannot ascend.”
The people responded accordingly. They cried out to Moses,
lamenting their very departure from Egypt. So G-d decreed that
this generation was not worthy of His precious Promised Land.
Furthermore, this day of weeping, on which they cried for no good
reason, would become a day of tears for generations. Indeed, our
sages explain, this occurred on the Ninth Of Av, the day that would
become a day of mourning for the destruction of our Holy Temples
and many other national calamities throughout history.
Now, the question I’d like to pose here is: why did the people
not follow the two good spies, Joshua and Caleb, instead of the others? The obvious answer: they were outvoted and outnumbered.
Ten vs. two—no contest. Majority rules.
Tragically, though, they backed the losers. And the result was an
extended vacation in the wilderness for them, and a tragedy for
all of us to this day.
So, although we may be staunch democrats and believers in the democratic process, clearly, there will be times
when the minority is right.
The saintly Rabbi Yisroel Meir HaKohen
Kagan, better known as the “ Chafetz Chaim,”
was once challenged by a fellow Jew who was a
somewhat educated cynic. “Rabbi,” he argued, “
doesn’t the Torah itself say that we must follow
the majority? Well, the overwhelming majority of
Jews today are not religious. So you religious Jews

12

must come over to our way of thinking!”
The Chafetz Chaim replied with a story.
“Recently, I had occasion to be traveling by coach back home
from an important trip. En route, the coachman distributed generous helpings of vodka to his passengers to keep them warm and
content. The coachman, too, helped himself to much more vodka
than he should have.
“When we came to a crossroads, there was confusion as to
which way to turn. Most people argued that the left road was the
correct path. I was one of the only sober passengers on board, and I
knew without a shadow of a doubt that we needed to take the road
to the right. So I ask you, my friend, should I too have followed
the majority? They were hopelessly drunk and their was judgment
impaired. Thank G-d, I prevailed.”
All too often, the values and judgment calls of “the world” are
simply wrong. No matter how outnumbered moral people may be,
we will continue to follow the path of decency and sanity.
We Jews have never played the numbers game. Always, we have
been the smallest of nations. We are known not for our majority,
but for our morals.
Not so long ago, I think it was at the time of the ﬁctitious Jenin
“massacre”—Koﬁ Anan questioned, “Can it be that the whole
world is wrong and Israel is right?” Guess what. He was spot-on.
The whole world was wrong and Israel was right. There simply was
no massacre.
My wife has taught high school for many years. Once, a former
student of hers asked if she could speak to her privately. She needed
some guidance. She was now a young woman, and everyone was
telling her she was crazy for insisting that she have no intimate relations before her wedding. She sought my wife’s aﬃrmation
that she hadn’t lost her sanity.
All too often it is the world that is stark raving meshuga,
veering drunkenly out of control. It takes substantial
strength of character to resist the pull of the
drunken majority.
May G-d aid us to be men and women
of stature, of spirit. May we be inspired with
the courage to stand up and be counted, even
if it means being that lone voice in the wilderness. Otherwise, we may never get to our destination.

May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

13

Jewish American
Heritage Luncheon
to be held on
Capitol Hill
I

n 1775, one year prior to the American declaration of independence, a
Portuguese Jew came to America, making landfall on the shores of New York.
Haym Solomon found himself sympathizing with the colonists and decided
to support the Revolutionary War efforts, becoming the biggest ﬁnancer of
the Continental army, pioneering the
now over 300 year old tradition of Jews
supporting the United States.
May is Jewish American Heritage
Month, as proclaimed by President
Obama and the United States Congress. Despite years of oppression and
persecution, Jews have always risen up
to help bring improvement and progress to society. For more than 350 years,
Jews have been making major contributions to American culture, including
arts, science, medicine, sports, business,
government and military service.
Honoring the myriad contributions
and achievements of Jewish Americans
in the United States, Congresswoman
Debbie Wasserman-Shultz explained,
“Jewish American Heritage Month [is]
to increase tolerance and raise awareness about ...the depth and breadth
of contributions of Jews through
350 years of Jewish life in America...
through every walk of life is incredibly
important.”
This tradition has continued annually and this year, ﬁve individuals
or groups, each of whom are pillars of
the Jewish community, will be honored
by Members of Congress at a celebration, coordinated by The Friedlander
Group, in the Capitol Building held
on May 22nd for their contributions
14

to American society. With their collective participation in human rights,
health services, business, technology, government, justice system, and
law enforcement the honorees are the
embodiment of American ideals. The
Tribute event will be chaired by Greg
Rosenbaum, Co-Chair of the Jewish
American Heritage Month Foundation, with Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York
Board of Rabbis, acting as Master of
Ceremonies.
Greg Rosenbaum acknowledged
the importance of The Friedlander
Group’s event as an integral part of the
Washington, DC celebration: “Honoring distinguished Jewish Americans
who have contributed so much to our
nation in the Capitol Building fulﬁlls
the purpose of Jewish American Heritage Month this May and its promise
for years to come.”
The special guests recognized at this
year’s annual celebration include:
Harvey and Gloria Kaylie have
been stalwart supporters of OHEL
Children’s Home and Family Service
for over a decade.
Harvey Kaylie is the founder of
Mini-Circuits, a global leader in the
development and manufacture of multiple core technologies. Since 1969,
OHEL has been helping people of all
ages surmount everyday challenges,
heal from trauma, and manage with
strength and dignity during times of
crises, in the realm of foster care, housing, outpatient counseling and day
programs. OHEL serves thousands in
need every day in communities in New

York, New Jersey, South Florida and
Los Angeles, California. Driven by a
shared vision to break down stigma in
the community, the Kaylies provided
the seed capital for OHEL to open
the groundbreaking Camp Kaylie at
OHEL - the ﬁrst-of-its-kind integrated summer camp for kids of all abilities. In the words of Harvey Kaylie,
“Over my long and successful career,
the accomplishment of which I am
most proud is Camp Kaylie. My dream
of a state-of-the-art camp providing a
marvelous experience for children of
all abilities has been fulﬁlled.”
Founded over 40 years ago, The
Rothenberg Law Firm LLP is exclusively dedicated to representing injured people of every race, gender and
creed, and is an outspoken opponent
of attempts to limit the rights of injury
victims. The ﬁrm has earned national
prominence and recognition for its
cutting edge work in product liability, traumatic brain injury, wrongful
death, medical malpractice, and construction litigation. The ﬁrm opposes
all forms of religious discrimination,
and its founder, Allen L. Rothenberg,
has served as the national president of
COLPA, the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Aﬀairs, in
which he works tirelessly to ensure that
the United States accommodates religious observance within a secular society not only for Jews, but for members
of all religions. The Rothenberg family
of lawyers includes parents Allen and
Barbara, six of their eight children who
work in the ﬁrm - Harry, Marc, Beth,
Ross, Scott and Melissa - as well as

May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

Randi, a former Federal prosecutor, and Rachel, a pediatric nurse practitioner.
The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, the dream of Mr.
Edmond J. Safra A”H, the world renowned banker
and philanthropist, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Through the dedication and generosity of Mrs. Lily Safra, his beloved wife, Mr. Safra’s dream has become a
reality. The synagogue has ﬂourished and become home
to the Sephardic community of New York’s Upper East
Side. It is an active element in the growth of the Jewish
congregation under the leadership of Rabbi Elie Abadie,
M.D. 10 prominent families from the Upper East Side
will join us at the Ceremony.
Simcha Eichenstein is a senior advisor to New York
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli in the division
of Intergovernmental and Community Aﬀairs. He is
considered a rising star in New York State government
who upholds the highest ethos of Jewish commitment to
public service and has earned the respect of elected oﬃcials from across the political spectrum for his integrity,
and overall keen insight to the various challenges facing
the state of New York. In addition to acting as sole trustee of the $150.6 billion Common Retirement Fund, one
of the largest institutional investors in the world, the

May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

Comptroller’s oﬃce maintains the State’s accounting
system and administers the State’s approximately $15
billion payroll.
As the founding director of Kestenbaum & Company, a New York City based boutique auction house
dedicated to the sale of Rare Books, Manuscripts, Ceremonial and Fine Art, Daniel E. Kestenbaum regards
the essential core value of his company as seeking out
and subsequently publicizing the importance of Judaic
historical artifacts that are crucial to a keener understanding of one’s Jewish identity and thus leading to a
more upstanding appreciation for ethical citizenry. Kestenbaum & Company is now the largest niche Hebraica
auction house in America having sold to date more than
30,000 lots at auction of antique Jewish rarities. With 25
years in the auction business, senior collectors, specialized dealers, acquisition directors and museum curators
around the world rely on Daniel’s expertise and integrity. He is a much sought after expert consultant and
appraiser in his specialized ﬁelds of rare Hebrew books
and manuscripts, Judaic antiques and ﬁne arts.
For more information please visit: www.TheFriedlanderGroup.com/JewishHeritageCelebration or email Tribute@
TheFriedlanderGroup.com

S. Monica Remembers
Rabbi Levitansky OBM
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Ezra Shochat
recalled “the lifelong dedication to
Ahavas Yisroel” of S. Monica Shliach
Rabbi Avremel Levitansky OBM.
The 6th yahrtzeit of beloved S. Monica Shliach Rabbi
Avrohom HaLevi Levitansky obm was marked at an event
on Sunday Yud Sivan with hundreds in attendance.
As people entered the Shul, they Davened Mincha and
were helped with Teﬃlin if needed. They then washed and
sat down at the tables to enjoy a full dinner, and spend some
time “Farbrenging” with their table mates, recounting their
experiences with Rabbi Levitansky, or “Avremel” as he was
fondly known.
Rabbi Eli Moshe Levitansky, Director of Chabad on
SMC Campus, emceed the event which began with the 12
Pesukim recited by the children. He then called on Shliach
of the Rebbe to Beverly Hills, and Rav of Anash, Rabbi Yosef
Shusterman, who welcomed the crowd, and spoke of his dear
friend and colleague, whose Yahrtzeit was being commemorated.
The guest speaker of the evening, Rabbi Ezra Shochat ,
Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Elchonon Chabad then addressed the theme of the evening, “The lifelong dedication
to Ahavas Yisroel.” He called upon everyone to take these
lessons to heart, and add in observance of practical Mitzvos,
and to help others to do so as well.
Following in the tradition of his father, Zev Mayer Levitansky made a Siyum on Maseches Sota. He then made a
Hadran, connecting the Halachos of a Sota with a number
of lesser-known stories of his father which illustrated his
character trait of love and dedication to Jewish education.
Rabbi Maimon, a close friend of Rabbi Levitansky and
a direct descendant of the Rambam made a Siyum on the
Rambam, after which Rabbi Isaac Levitansky, Shliach of
Chabad of Simcha Monica, shared a Sicha of the Rebbe on
20

the Siyum Harambam.
The oﬃcial part of the evening ended with Benching and
Maariv, after which the tables were rearranged to Farbrengen style, where the Farbrengen continued until late into the
night. A Teshura was distributed which included letters of
the Rebbe and some of Rabbi Levitansky’s stories.
Amongst those who Farbrenged were Rabbi Avtzon, the
Rosh Yeshiva of RAPS, Rabbi Schwartz, one of the ﬁrst pioneering Shluchim, Rabbi Shimon Raichik, Rabbi of Congregation Levi Yitzchak, and Rav of Anash, as well as Rabbi
Dovid Thaler, Menahel of the Mesivta, who related many
memories which they shared with Rabbi Levitansky.
Participants were asked to donate to the Camp Fund, one
of Rabbi Levitansky’s primary projects, to ensure that every
Jewish child has a Torah true summer; something which the
Rebbe spoke about many times.
May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

21

22

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May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

23

The Observant Jew

If at First
You Don’t Succeed
BY RABBI JONATHAN GEWIRTZ

A

lmost anyone who’s ever gone out on a date has some
sort of “date story” about the nightmares they encountered when meeting someone for the purpose of spending
their lives together. You’ll ﬁnd dates who got arrested, ones
who fell asleep, and everything in between. Perhaps my favorite date story is one that didn’t happen to me.
A friend who lived in Brooklyn had a cousin come in from
“out of town,” which for the purposes of this article shall geographically refer to any locale with
fewer than six pizza shops per capita and only
four shuls to choose from on your block. She
was to go out with a fellow from the Brooklyn
area so she traveled into New York to make it
easier for him.
As they waited in her cousin’s second-ﬂoor
apartment, the time arrived for her date to
pick her up, but he didn’t show up. After a
few minutes, they heard a car unceremoniously honk outside. Now, as it was Brooklyn,
a car honking was not uncommon, but after a
few more tootles, my friend went down to the
car. The guy behind the wheel rolled down
the window and called out to him, “Yeah, I’m
here to pick up Suri. Is she ready?” Stunned,
my friend walked upstairs and told her this
was, indeed, her date for the evening.
Suri was ﬂoored by the man’s pure callousness and lack of respect for her. “If he
can’t even get out of the car to come get me,”
she said, “I’m not going.” Her cousin dutifully brought the message back down to the
waiting young man. “Suri says she isn’t coming down.”

24

Perturbed, the young man smacked the steering wheel
and said, “Oh, come on! They ALWAYS say that!”
While we may chuckle at this poor fellow’s oblivion to
what he was doing wrong, we should realize that we’re not all
that diﬀerent. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying: “Insanity
is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” I noticed that in real life, we do just that.
When my girls were younger, I had an epiphany
one day when one asked the other a question.
Her sister answered with a generic reply, but
the questioner, looking for precise information
began to get annoyed. She raised her voice and
asked THE EXACT SAME QUESTION!
I asked her, “Sweetie, if you didn’t like the
answer she gave you, why did you ask the
same question again? If you would clarify
your question, and say, “OK, but can you
tell me…” perhaps you would get what you
want. This way, she will just respond as
she did before.”
I thought about this during Seﬁra,
when I counted the same way I have counted for years, making my way to forty-nine
nights, but not really feeling a diﬀerence.
Shouldn’t something have happened?
Shouldn’t I have seen some result after
another year of counting? But that’s just
it – it was “another year of counting.” My
Shemona Esrai isn’t much diﬀerent. Do I
think about what I’m saying or just expect
that saying the words is enough?
We often feel that if we go through the
motions of something, a result will magi-

t Normalize any fear and concern. Assure your children that being frightened after such events is just part of
being human.
t It is probably futile to try to hide or
insulaate your child from what has
happened. News today is readily accessible and rapidly disseminated
even among children
t While commiserating with your child
that the recurrence of scary events in
such close proximity is frightening,
cast it in the context of the breadth of
humanity and time with the accurate
assurances that tragedy and misffortune remains the exception not the
rule.
t Pre school aged children do not understand the concept of “rare” and
should be told unequivocally that
they are safe and that such horror
will not occur to them. If applicable,
assure them thaat these events took
place far away from their home despite the immediacy of images and
pictures.
t Since these recent events involved the
death of children and grave injuries,
it may be advisable to reiterate that
death and inﬁrmity are more typically and normally associated with aging
and the elderly. This tyype of clariﬁca-

tion is generally relevant only to children 6 and older who can understand
this aspect of life.
t Limit your children’s exposure to
media coverage and viewing that is
known to only exacerbate such horror and fear. This is particularly important with regard to the tornados
for which live and frightening footage
is readily available.
t Do not be surprised if your child
seems unfazed by this event but manifes
e ts or expresses fears at a later date.
There is not uncommonly a dormant
period following exposure to such
potentially destabilizing occurrences.
t Elementary school aged children are
often preoccupied with the facts or
details of such tragedy. This is agetypical and refraining from a tempered and accurate response leaves
them prone to more scary rumors
and distortions.
t It is not uncommon for children to
fear inclement weather especially accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Such children may be particularly
horriﬁed by the events in Oklahoma. If such fears recur, address them
promptly before they become entrenched.
t Children who are generally beset by

hen Rabbi Yossi and Shterna Mintz opened their
ﬂedgling Chabad center in Redondo Beach, Calif.,
people told them it was a lost cause, saying that no Jews
lived there.
Seventeen years later, with a new kosher restaurant under construction and Hebrew day school on the horizon,
the community has grown and developed beyond their
wildest imagination.
The restaurant, slated to open in July, is the brainchild
of two brothers, Abe and Levi Chayo.
“My brother lives in Redondo Beach and works in Torrance,” a nearby business district, says Levi Chayo. “I was
living in New York at the time, and he told me that there
are many Jewish people in his area who keep kosher, and
they could really use a kosher restaurant. I decided to go
for it.”
But the 21-year-old had no experience in the business
and knew he would need to beef up his hospitality knowhow before opening up his own place. After working in a
number of Brooklyn restaurants for several months, he felt
ready to take the plunge.
So Chayo ﬂew to Torrance and started planning. “Even
though there are a fair number of kosher business people
and families in the area, we are working on making food so
memorable that we will be able to compete with the nonkosher restaurants as well. We plan on baking all of our
30

own bread and pizza dough in-house, and will be importing exclusive chalav Yisrael cheeses from the East Coast,”
he said, referring to dairy products produced under the
constant eye of a religious supervisor to ensure that kosher
standards have been maintained throughout the production process.
The restaurant, to be named Chayo Eatery, will oﬀer
dairy and vegetarian dishes.
Shmuli Pinson, CTO at a nearby high-tech ﬁrm, says “it
will be nice to have a kosher place to go for lunch meetings
or even just to grab a quick bite during the work day.”
Mintz, who co-directs Chabad of the Beach Cities (Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach),explains
that although the restaurant is a private venture, it dovetails with Chabad’s mandate to encourage more Torah
awareness and observance.
KEEPING KOSHER IS A CRUCIAL STEP
At a public gathering in the summer of 1975, the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of
righteous memory, urged those present to encourage and
facilitate observance of the kosher dietary laws, as part of
his 10-point mitzvah campaign. The Rebbe explained that
keeping kosher a crucial step toward living a Torah lifestyle; whatever a person eats has an eﬀect on his or her
thoughts, emotions and outlook, he said. At that time, the
May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

Rebbe oﬀered to pay half of the expenses incurred during
the koshering process, whereby a kitchen is purged from
any unkosher traces and dedicated for exclusive kosher
use.
Mintz says having a restaurant to recommend will make
it much easier for him to guide people to kosher observance: “I can now tell people that if you can have a kosher
lunch delivered, why would you eat unkosher?”
Chip Herwegh echoes that point. “Until now, there really were no options other than preparing and eating everything at home,” he says. “We have been talking about this
for years. Having a kosher restaurant right here is going to
make it much simpler for me to go kosher. This is a very
important step in community-building.”
A native of Manhattan Beach, Calif., Herwegh ﬁrst became acquainted with the Chabad center when he married
a Jewish woman. As the family became more involved in
Judaism and their three children enrolled in the Chabad
Hebrew school, Herwegh underwent conversion. He chose
the Hebrew name Gavriel Noach, after Rabbi Gabi Holtzberg, director of the Chabad house in Mumbai, India, who
was murdered in the November 2008 terror attacks there,

along with his wife, Rivkah, and four guests.
“Gabi was out there spreading light, and I hope to be
able to do a little bit of that as well,” says Herwegh, one of
the principal organizers and funders of the restaurant.
Mintz sees the new establishment as a real milestone.
“Over the years, our community center in Redondo
Beach has expanded to include three rabbis and 56 other
employees,” he explains. “Our center oﬀers a mikveh ritual
bath, a synagogue where hundreds pray regularly, a preschool with an enrollment of over 140. Our satellite center
in Manhattan Beach has a Judaica store and a full array of
Chabad activities from Torah classes to clubs for seniors
and toddlers.
“Yet having a kosher restaurant in Torrance is something that we could have never imagined.”
Levi Gelb, an entrepreneur-writer who grew up in the
area, says: “When I was young, we had a little congregation in a storefront, and we would drive to L.A. to have
anything Jewish. The fact that our community can support
a kosher eatery tells me that the area has really come a long
way. There are a lot of young families, and people are moving in. It is becoming a real community.”

Cocktails
With a Touch
of Class
BY ANNA HARWOOD
Summer has ﬁnally arrived. The patio furniture is
dusted oﬀ, winter clothes stored away and ﬂip ﬂops,
sunglasses and sun dresses are taken out of hiding.
The long, warm evenings are the perfect opportunity to host a sizzling barbeque or drinks on the
deck. When deciding what to sip in in the garden,
wine-based cocktails can make a refreshing and invigorating change to spirits and beer.
Sangria, originating from Spain, is one way to
bring a little Mediterranean sunshine into your
American back yard this summer.

SANGRIA

Take an abundance of fruits and chop them ﬁnely (cherries,
peaches, apples, oranges etc.) In a big jug or bowl throw in
the chopped fruits together with a stick of cinnamon (can
substitute with other spices if desired). Add a bottle of white
or red wine (dry or semi-dry), a cup of orange juice, some liquid sugar (according to your taste) and a dash of brandy (you
can also swap this for orange liquor or cognac). The wine
itself does not need to be very expensive, the opposite, use a
young, refreshing wine such as the Mount Hermon Red.
Sangria can also be made with a sparkling wine such as
Gilgal Brut, or for those who like it a little sweeter, Golan
Moscato, for an added twist to the cocktail.
If wanting to surprise your guests with a more unusual
drink, Debbi Sion, head of the training and education de32

partment at the Golan Heights winery in Israel recommends
two more fun and easy to prepare cocktails to be drunk under the stars:

MERLOT -TEA PUNCH

In a deep glass mix together 60ml of Golan Merlot, 20ml
of dark rum, 40 ml or Peach ice tea, 20ml of orange juice
and 10ml of lemon juice. Add lots of ice and garnish with a
ginger star.

SUMMER BLANC

Fill a deep glass with small melon balls. Poor 60 ml of Yarden
Sauvignon Blanc mixed with 10ml of lemon juice over the
melon. If feeling like splurging, scatter some violet leaves
over the drink.
May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

CHICKEN POT PIE
When you place the chicken pot pie in
the oven put it on a cookie sheet or in
a large pan, the foil will be loose and
wobbly when you’re taking it out and
there is nothing worse inside your oven.
Times
Prep Time : 20 min
Cook Time : 1 hour
Ready Time : 1 hour, 20 min
Servings
8
Ingredients
1 cup of chicken broth
2 cup of pulled apart chicken
1 cup of vegetables (carrots, peas,
zucchini, onions,etc)
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp margarine
salt and pepper to taste
2 deep dish pie crusts
36

Directions
1. Place the flour and margarine in a pan together and whisk till it dissolves to create a roux.
2. Add chicken broth and allow it to bubble for 5 minutes uncovered (you are intentionally trying
to cook out some of the water, so that a more condensed flavor remains).
3. Add the vegetables and meat and stir. Pour the mixture into a deep dish pie crust and cover it
with the other crust.
4. Cut slits in the top to release steam and place it in the oven for 1 hour at 350°. Allow it to stand
for 20 min before serving.
Reprinted with permission from www.joyofkosher.com.
May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

1. The front part of the blue car now has two more bumps. 2. The girl’s shirt is now a different
color. 3. The headlight on the red car has changed colors. 4. A white road stripe on left is now
wider. 5. There is a Jewish star on that maroon umbrella. 6. The boy’s kippa is now black. 7. There
is a white stripe on the blue car now. 8. The boy’s car now has a license plate. The yellow line on
the street behind her head is missing. 10. There is another car on right now.

qqq q
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CHANGES KEEP SCORE

10

Please email us your
pictures to
Info@communitylinks.info

Have your picture
double taked!
Enjoying a day at
Lego Land Park.
Can you spot the differences in these two pictures?

Great gifts for all occasions!
Invited out for a Shabbos
meal? Baby gifts, Bas Mitzvah
gifts, Wedding gifts, & House
warming gifts. Don't put it off!
Come in today and go out
relieved. Call for a special
appointment.

MUSIC BANDS

Music by Ariel Louk
"Because a Simcha should be happy"

One man band
to a full orchestra.
Please call now
for availability & rates!

DANCE

NY CAR SERVICE

A TIME FOR
DANCE 9th annual production
"THE ROSE" a
magical
and
kosherized version of Beauty and
the Beast! Sunday, June 9, 2013
at Bancroft Middle School 929 N.
Las Palmas Ave. LA. Showtimes
11:00 am and 3:00 pm. For tickets www.atime4dance.com or
323 404-0827 for women and
girls only.

Coming to New York or New Jersey? Prompt & reliable Shomer
Shabbos car service available for
pickups at airports, simcha halls,
Lakewood, etc. Late night & early
morning service available.

BEAUTIFUL & SPACIOUS
ENCINO GUEST HOUSE
Private, safe and charming Guest
House with 2 Bedrooms plus
large size living area and kitchenette, with separate private
entry into an oasis like setting
from a side street - ideally for
ONE lucky person. Close to
Shuls and shopping district. Enquiries: Call 818-201-3727

GUEST HOUSE FOR LEASE
Located in Beverly Hills, Pico
Robertson. Includes a Full Bathroom, Kitchen, & Closet. Private
Entrance from Backyard & Parking. Call W:310-278-0165 or
C:323-931-2777

MOVING?
Thinking of Relocating? Busy
Cleveland plumbing company is
now hiring. Knowledge of plumbing
& sales is helpful but not necessary. We are willing to train the
right person. Please call 216-3204000.

May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

May 31, 2013 • 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

41

Introducing
A BRAND NEW WEBSITE

FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

JEWISHLINK
Everything you’ve ever wanted in a website
the

.com

9 DINING GUIDE
9 BUSINESS DIRECTORY
9 COMMUNITY NEWS
9 AND MORE!

42

May 31, 2013• 323-965-1544 • info@communitylinks.info

OUR GUESTS COME FOR THE SPECTACULAR ROCKIES
AND RETURN FOR OUR SPECTACULAR PROGRAM

Rabbi Yossy
Goldman
Johannesburg, South Africa
Rabbi Yossy Goldman serves as
the Senior Minister of
Johannesburg’s largest Jewish
congregation, Sydenham
Highlands North Synagogue,
since 1986.
Rabbi Yossy Goldman has been
living in Johannesburg, South
Africa since 1976 when he was sent by the Rebbe as
his emissary. He is currently President of the SA
Rabbinical association, having served as its
dynamic Chairman for 12 years.

A program of: The Menachem Institute
Machon Menachem Chabad of the Valley
The Finder & Schaeffer Family Centers
Farbrengen funded by a grant from The Finder Family Educational Center

For more information please visit CHABADOFTHEVALLEY.ORG or call 818.758.1818